The Uncertain Future
by Neverfallforfun
Summary: Sheriff Woody and his deputy Jessie are in charge of keepin' the peace in the sleepy little town of Andonnie, Idaho. However, they are in for a rude awakening when an unidentified space man lands in their midst.
1. Chapter 1

The horse trotted slowly down the road, his hooves kicking up a trail of dust behind him. His head was up, alert, and his ears pricked forward.

His rider pulled him to a stop, and he looked around. The man and his mount stood at the center of a small boomtown, only four buildings long on either side. There was another small mining village up higher in the mountains to the southwest. Every Sunday, the mining village would empty out as the women came to buy goods, and to visit the milliner's workshop to mend rips and torn seams that were far to extensive for them to repair themselves, while the men wasted, what little their wives allowed them, on drinks in the saloon.

To the southeast was a livestock ranch. Most ranches dealt in cattle, but this one focused on hogs. It was run by a man named Prosciutto. He was of Italian descent on his Great grandfather's side. He was a shrewd businessman who seemed to know more about the outside world than the outside world did. He employed thirty farmhands and an additional twenty herders for the occasional herds of cattle.

The man led his horse over to the hitching post outside the saloon and, after dismounting, tied him up. He patted the horse on the cheek, and pulled a carrot out of his pocket. "You're a good horse, Slink." The horse whickered around his carrot in reply.

He tipped his hat forward, and adjusted his badge, then he pushed open the doors to the bustling saloon.

He was met by a roar of noise that almost knocked him out of his boots. Above all of the din, there came one, penetrating, female voice.

"Afternoon, Sheriff!" The barmaid shouted from behind the bar. "The usual?"

"Howdy, Dolly." He replied. He worked his way over to the one empty barstool. As he sat down, Dolly placed a snifter of whiskey.

"How's business?" The Sheriff asked her as he took his first sip.

Dolly leaned her elbow on the bar and put her other hand on her hip. She leaned in close, almost conspiratorially, "The miners and the farmhands were paid earlier today, so it's not so bad." She shrugged and moved down the bar briefly to refill a tankard, then she returned. "You-know-who is waiting for you just across the way." Dolly pointed across the road towards the Milliner's shop. "She just put up the _CLOSED_ sign."

The sheriff smiled, took the final sip of his snifter, and stood up from the barstool.

"I'll put that on your tab." She smiled as she picked the glass up from the counter. He smiled back, tipped his hat, and then he was gone.

Dolly sighed as she turned towards the dishwashing basin. The Sheriff didn't really have a tab. Dolly refused to charge him. Not that he came in very often.

He was halfway to the Milliner's shop when his deputy came running to his side. "Did you lock the fence?" He asked her, looking over her shoulder.

"Huh?" He pointed over her shoulder and she turned to see her horse following her. "Bullseye?"

"Jessie, I told you to _always_ lock the fence when you leave the corral. It's a good thing that only Bullseye escaped." He smiled a Jessie nodded. "Oh, did you have something to tell me?"

"Yes, but it can wait until after I put Bullseye away." She detached the lasso from her waist and threw it around Bullseye's neck.

"Alright. If you need me i'll... um..." he glanced at the Milliner's shop, "well... try not to need me."

Jessie laughed. "Sure thing, Sheriff." She began to pull Bullseye towards to corral.

The Sheriff turned back towards the the Milliner's Shop. In a few long strides, he was at the door. He took a deep breath and turned the handle.

"Bo?" He called as he went in. There was no answer. He took a few steps inside, and the door swung shut behind him. "Miss Bo?" Again, no answer. He started towards the workroom in the back of the store.

It was a small store, with a long counter made of wood that he had polished himself until Bo's beautiful face reflected in it. To the right of the counter was a set of stairs that led up to a second floor balcony, and Bo's room. Behind the counter was a workroom where Bo did all of her sewing with her three assistants.

"Bless my soul, Woody Pride." Came a soft voice from above.

Woody looked up, and there, on the balcony, stood Bo. "Miss Bo Peep." He smiled.

She started down the stairs. "And to what do I owe this pleasure?" She stopped beside him.

Woody leaned against the countertop and tipped his hat back to see her better. "Well, I know how much you love to watch the sun set," he paused briefly and looked at her out of the corner of his eye before continuing, "and, it's almost that time of day. I was wondering if you would like to watch it with me." He tried not to look at her, but he lost that battle, and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He was surprised to find her staring at him with a slight blush in her cheeks.

"It's not fair, Mr. Pride." She smiled. "You know my weakness, but I have failed to discover yours."

"Well," he kissed her hand, then put her arm through his. "I thought it should have been obvious."


	2. Chapter 2

Woody led Bo through the small town, it facades throwing misshapen shadows across the ground. As he looked at his beloved's face, Woody couldn't help but think that he was the luckiest man in the world. He was the sheriff of a prosperous, if small, town, with almost no crime, and he had the prettiest girl in the West on _his_ arm. He couldn't help but smile at his own good fortune.

Bo was special. She came from a long line of southern plantation owners who had quit their plantation to move West a year before the Civil War. Her father and brother had been educated in the top schools, and had passed their knowledge on to her. She was intelligent, witty, kind, sweet... he could go on all night.

They traveled West during the fall of 1860. A little over half-way through their journey, Bo's father and brothers had gone off to get water and food and left them with the wagon and horses. They waited there for three days. Bo decided to go after them, and, a day later, she had discovered their bodies by a riverbed, scalped. Bo buried them, and returned to her mother and the wagon. They continued on their journey.

They didn't make it very far before they were beset by the natives, a small band of Hopi indians. They were surprised to find only two white women, alone. One member of the band could speak and understand a broken form of English and he served as a translator. The Hopi said that the Navajo people must have been responsible, for they had seen a small Navajo band in the area a few days before, and the Navajo and the Hopi were not friends.

The Hopi took pity on the women, and led them across the plains, and to a mountain valley where there was a small boomtown, and a friend of the Hopi. The left them there, under Dolly's capable care, and left. Bo's mother died soon after, leaving Bo alone, and completely dependent on the town for help. She was 15 years old.

To help pay her way, Bo began to run errands for anyone who needed it. One day, when out on the northwest side of the valley, she was attacked by a mountain lion. If Sheriff Woody hadn't come along, she would have died. He distracted the beast long enough for Bo to get away, then he killed it with his pistol, suffering only a shoulder wound, and a ripped shirt.

Bo helped him home, and, as the doctor bandaged his wound, Bo repaired his shirt. She had always been skilled at embroidery, but she was the _Queen_ of sewing. After his recovery, during the process of which Bo was practically glued to his side, he spoke to Mrs. Tate, the old seamstress who ran the milliner's shop down the road, and convinced her to take Bo in.

Bo was now almost 20 years old. Her birthday was in a week and a half, and she had blossomed into a fine young woman. Woody, nearly six years her senior, considered himself lucky to have captured her affections, and half the town seemed to be in agreement.

Woody slid his free hand into his pocket, and he felt smooth cold metal against his finger. _I'm so glad that it came today._ He thought to himself as he ran his fingers over the ring. He had ordered it from the Sears-Roebuck catalog two months prior, and it had arrived on the train this morning.

He led Bo behind the corral, which sat adjacent to the sheriff's station and jail on the eastern end of town, where he had stacked up old crates to form a sort of rudimentary staircase up to the roof.

"You're so spontaneous." Bo said with a smile.

Woody laughed, "Well, I try." He helped her up onto the crates, "Now, I assure you madame, these are quite safe, I tested them myself."

"I trust no one so much as I trust you."

They quickly ascended to the flat roof of the building, where Woody had previously spread out several blankets and pillows facing West, so as to watch the sunset over the mountains. They settled down, Woody holding Bo close to his chest, just as the sun began to disappear behind the peaks.

Bo watched as the colors danced across the sky, and Woody watched as they danced across her heavenly face. The sky turned the prettiest shade of pale pink, and Woody decided.

"Bo," he began, beginning to sit up.

"Yes, Woody?" She asked, turning to face him.

"Bo, I have something that I need to ask you." He squirmed a little bit. He was _so_ nervous!

"Anything, Woody, you know that." She smiled at him, and his confidence was bolstered, a little bit.

He needed to stand. He needed to move. He began to pace across the roof, the words not coming to his mouth.

"Bo-" He swallowed. How many times had he rehearsed this speech? At least a hundred. "Bo, do you love me?"

A surprised look crossed her face. "Of course I do." She said softly.

"More than just as a friend, or brother?"

Bo stood and reached out to take his hand in her's. She turned it over, and looked down at the rough, callused skin, and kissed his palm. "I love you more than life itself." She said, looking up into his eyes.

It took all of Woody's self-control not to shudder with relief.

"Bo,"He took her one hand in his, and knelt on the ground at her feet. "Bo, you are the most precious thing to me in the world, and I will do anything to make you happy. All I ask of you," He reached into his pocket an pulled out the small silver band, "is that you accept my hand." He held the ring up to her left hand, poised to put it on her finger, but waiting for her consent.

The last vestiges of the sun flashed across the silver as Bo put her right hand on his, and guided the ring onto her finger.


	3. Chapter 3

The two lovers sat beside each other well into the night, content with just being together. Woody pointed out his favorite constellations, and Bo agreed that they were wonderful.

It was well past midnight, and Woody had just decided that it was about time to get his new fiancée home, when Bo pointed to the southwest and cried out.

"Look, Woody! A shooting star!" Woody looked in the direction indicated. Indeed, there was something small and bright shooting across the sky. "Let's make a wish on it, Woody." She smiled at him.

He pulled her to him. "What do I have to wish for when I hold the world?" He stood, reluctantly relinquishing her. "Besides, I don't think that it's a shooting star..."

Indeed, it was far too near, and... Woody gasped as he saw the object pass in front of the mountains at the end o the valley and go careening towards the northern range.

"Whatever it is, it's going to crash!" He cried. Sure enough, a moment later, the shining object disappeared behind the trees on the northern range, and the ground shook as it landed.

"Woody-"

"Bo, you go home, I'm going to check it out."

"But, Woody, what if it's dangerous?" Bo made to grab his hand.

"I'll be back," he pulled his hand from her grasp and placed it on her cheek. "Now, I have someone to come back for." He kissed her on the forehead, and dashed from the roof.

At some point earlier in the evening, Jessie had moved Slink into the corral. Woody hopped the fence and saddled his mount quickly. He mounted and nudged the horse forward towards the gate where he swung down and undid the latch. As he left, Bo came running up behind him to close it again.

"Now you be careful, Sheriff!" She shouted as Woody rode off to the north. He waved his hat in reply.

He guided Slink swiftly through the trees and scrub that dotted the mountainside, getting thicker as he went up.

"Find it, Slink." Woody urged him. "Find whatever it is that fell from the sky."

The horse surged forward, and not even the hardiest underbrush stood a chance. They swiftly ascended the mountain, and it wasn't too long before they had reached the newly-made clearing.

Woody pulled Slink to a stop and quickly dismounted. He threw his reins around one of the few branches left on the once-hardy old tree that stood beside him. He reached out to touch the scarred bark.

Hot.

He drew his hand back quickly, and looked down at the ground. there was no grass, scrub, or even dirt. Only long back scorch marks radiating out from what seemed to be the center of the clearing.

He could see a large mound of dirt, and that was about it, for there was an inordinate amount of smoke rising from the spot. He approached extremely cautiously, taking his hat off to fan the smoke away from his face. As he drew closer, the smoke began to dissipate.

It wasn't just a mound of dirt, it was a gigantic pit in the side of the mountain. He looked tentatively over the edge.

At the bottom sat a dirty metal contraption with glass on one side. As the smoke finally cleared, he could see through the glass.

"Oh, lord..." He whispered. Inside the large metal whatever-it-was, there sat a man.

He was more laying than sitting, but Woody wasn't bothering too much about the particulars. He just knew that he had to get the man out.

He slide down the embankment, alighting on the side of the device. He maneuvered so that he could see through to the man. He banged repeatedly on the glass.

"Are you alright?" He shouted. He banged again. No response. He looked closer, cleaning some dirt from the glass. The man was clearly unconscious, or worse. There was blood running down his face from a wound somewhere on his head.

_This won't do..._ Woody decided. _He can't hear me, and I can't smash the glass. If it survived the crash against the mountain, nothing I can do will break it._ He looked around, wiping dirt from the smooth metal surface.

His fingers brushed across a slight indentation in the metal. He removed the dirt. It was a small rectangular button with yellow stripes across it, and the word "OPEN." He laughed at himself, and pushed it in with his index finger.

The glass withdrew into the metal, and Woody could now reach the unconscious man.


	4. Chapter 4

Woody lowered himself into the metal contraption and cautiously approached the wounded man.

He waved a hand in front of the man's eyes. Nothing. The man's breathing was very shallow, and the blood was flowing almost freely from his head.

Woody's eyebrows knitted together. _If he loses too much blood, he'll die._ Bloodletting was still in practice in some places, but Woody had seen too many men bleed out during the war to condone the practice.

He removed the bandanna from around his neck, and tied it securely around the man's head.

_Now, how to get you out of here. I'm not strong enough to carry you out alone..._ Woody heard a sound come from above. He looked up to see Slink looking down at him, the reins dangling in front of him.

"Have you always been able to do that?" Wood asked his horse. The animal whickered in reply. It was then that Woody remembered the long rope attached to his saddle. A plan began to formulate in his mind.

He scrambled out of the pit and detached the rope. He then tied one end of it to the saddle, and then tied the other around his waist. He turned to Slink. "I'll hold him, and you can pull us both out, got it?" The horse swung its head around, and Woody took that as a 'yes.' He dropped back into the pit, and wrapped his arms securely around the man's chest.

He whistled to Slink, who began to walk backwards, pulling them out of the hole. It was slow-going, for the strange man was very strong an muscular, even if he was a little bit on the shorter side. But, then again, Woody was rather tall.

They finally reached the top, and Woody laid the man on the ground before he went to untie the rope.

With the way that the moon shone through the trees, Woody could make out the man's features. He had a chiseled jaw, and strong, broad shoulders. The bits of his hair that weren't colored red with blood, or covere with the bandanna, were a pale, almost straw-yellow blond. His clothes were very peculiar. He seemed to be wearing a one-piece suit of some kind. It was a dark purple color with two patches on his left breast.

On was a pale blue with white wings, and something strange in the center. The other was yellow with black lettering. Woody assumed that it had to be the man's name, but half of it had been torn away. All that he could read was "BUZZ"

_Buzz, huh?_ Woody pondered. _Strange name... but, then again, this is a strange night._

"Alright, Buzz. Let's see if we can't get you back to town." Woody pulled Slink right up next to where Buzz laid, and had the creature settle down on it's stomach. Woody then lifted Buzz up enough so that he could roll him onto Slink's back. Once he was settled, laying across the saddle, Woody secured him with the rope he still held, then stood Slink back up.

"Ok, Slink, let's take this nice and easy. We don't want to hurt him anymore than he already is." He gathered up the horse's rein, and they started their journey back down the mountain.

It wasn't too long after dawn when they arrived at the outskirts of town. Woody led his tired horse down the one road, and stopped outside the doctor's door, on the eastern end.

He banged noisily on the door. "Doctor?" He shouted. "Doctor, are you in?"

He knocked for a few more minutes, and was about to give up, when the door swung open. A small man stood in the doorway. He was fairly short, even by regular standards. He was an old man with gray hair so short that it stuck straight out from his head like a porcupine's quills.

"Dr. Piquant, thank goodness you're awake."

"Well, I am now. Whatever is the matter, Sheriff?"

"I found this wounded man." Woody said. He thought it wise to omit that he had crash landed on the side of the mountain in the early hours of the morning, as that information had the potential to alarm the good doctor, who was incredibly superstitious.


	5. Chapter 5

Piquant gave Buzz a cursory glance. "Bring him in."

Woody nodded, and looked around for someone to help him when he saw one of the hog hustlers walking into town.

"Hey, Rex!" He shouted at the man.

Rex looked over at Woody. "What can I do ya for, Sheriff?" He asked, jogging over.

"We need to get this man into the Doc's house." Woody answered. "Would ya help me?"

"Sure." Between them, Woody and Rex managed to get Buzz through the house, and into the Doctor's study.

"Thank ya Rex." Woody said. The hustler nodded, tipped his hat, and left. Woody turned back to Piquant. "So, Doc, do you think you can help him?"

"Maybe." Piquant replied. He began to untie the bandanna from Buzz's head. "You did a good thing by tying this tight. 'Though, I don't envy him the headache he'll have." Piquant gave a grim smile.

He pulled out a clean white rag, and handed Woody a deep basin. "Go out to the pump out back and fill that with water." Woody did as he was asked, and returned to find the doctor inspecting Buzz's neck and chest.

"Any serious injuries?" Woody asked, putting the basin on the table the doc indicated.

"I don't see any, and there are no bruises." Piquant said, somewhat perplexed. "He came away with no more than that head wound. Speaking of which," He held out the rag to Woody, "if you wouldn't mind cleaning the blood off his head wound so that I may check the rest of him for wounds."

Woody nodded and dipped the cloth into the water, wrung it out, and gently began to wipe the blood from Buzz's face. He had cleared most of it away when he saw the man's eyelids flicker.

"Hey, Doc," Woody called him over.

"What's wrong?" Piquant shuffled over.

"His eyelids just moved."

"It's probably just in response to his dream or something. People dream when they've lost consciousness." The Doc smiled.

Woody nodded, and turned back to Buzz. He had barely touched the rag the man's face when his eyes flew open, and his hand shot up to grab Woody's wrist.

"Who are you?" Buzz asked, his grip almost crushing Woody's wrist.

"Sheriff Woody. You're in Andonnie." Woody replied. He was completely calm, if grimacing slightly from Buzz's vice-like grip,

"Ok, then who am _I_?".


	6. Chapter 6

Woody stared at the man on the table in disbelief, then turned to Piquant.

"Doc, can he really have lost his memory?" Woody asked.

"Well, memory is stored in the brain, and he was hit there." Piquant replied.

"Is there any way to bring it back?"

"Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased; Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow; Raze out the written troubles of the brain?"

"Shakespeare hardly applies here." Woody said, frustrated, though he understood what the doctor was saying. Nothing could be done, and Buzz's _diseased_ mind had to minister to itself.

"Would you let go of my wrist?" Woody requested, turning back to Buzz.

Buzz looked at his hand, and seemed to realize, for the first time, that he _was_ crushing Woody's wrist. He let go and his arm fell back to the table. "I'll ask again, who am I?"

"Your name is Buzz." Woody replied. "At least, according to your name tag."

"Buzz..." He repeated. There was a slight spark in his eye. "Buzz Lightyear." He replied.

"Excellent!" Doc Piquant exclaimed. "Is there anything else that you remember?"

Buzz thought for a moment, "No." He said, disappointed.

"Oh well," Piquant shrugged. "That was a fairly severe blow to your head." Buzz's hand flew to his head. He drew his hand back, covered with blood. "It's almost stopped bleeding, but a mere scratch on the head will bleed profusely."

Buzz nodded. Woody finished cleaning his wound, and Doc Piquant spread some homemade salve on it, and wrapped it up with a clean bandage.

Piquant held out Woody's bandanna. "You might want to wash this, Sheriff."

Woody smiled, "You can just throw it out, I'll have my fiancée make me a new one."

Doc piquant smiled, and reached for Woody's hand. "Congratulations!" He said, wringing the Sheriff's hand in excitement.

"Excuse me," Buzz interrupted them, "what about me?" He asked.

"Can he stay here Doc?" Woody asked.

"He could, but for vacancy." Piquant replied.

"I'll take that as a no." Woody said, "and the inn is full because of the miners." He puzzled over the issue. "I suppose that he can stay with Jessie and I." He turned to Buzz. "My sister and I have a house on the edge of town, D'ya mind staying with us, for a little while, at least?"

"Since you are the only person in town that I have met, besides the doctor, I don't really mind." Buzz replied. "I think..." He added.

"Alright then. That's all settled." Woody helped Buzz off of the table. "I'll be by later to check on him, Sheriff. I have to check on the wounded miners at the inn." Woody nodded.

"We're going to leave through the back door." Woody said. He turned to Buzz. "We don't want to attract too much attention right now." Buzz nodded. Woody put Buzz's arm around his neck, for the man was still a little shaky on his legs.

They made slow progress, as Woody wasn't strong enough to support _all_ of Buzz's weight on his own, and Buzz tired easily, requiring them to stop a few times so that he could rest. They finally reached the Sheriff's home, and they entered through the kitchen at the back.

There was some kind of commotion coming from the front parlor.

"Sit here, Buzz," Woody settled him down in a chair at the table. "I'll be right back." Buzz nodded, and Woody went into the hallway that led to the parlor. As he neared the doorway, he could hear Jessie's screaming, and another voice, deeper, that sounded rather familiar. A book flew through the doorway, and hit the wall opposite. Woody stuck his head through the doorway, and then had to duck as another book went flying.

"Jessie, please, be reasonable!" Came a male voice. Woody turned to see Rex half-hiding behind the sofa.

"How, on God's green earth, am I supposed to be _reasonable_," She chucked another book at him. "When you're running around with some..." She seemed to be at a loss for words, but she recovered quickly, "some _whore_!"

Woody quickly assessed the situation, the darted in the room. "Jessie, calm down." Jessie turned to look at Woody.

"What are you talking about, I _**AM**_ CALM!"

"No you're not, now put mom's statue down." For Jessie had just picked up their mother's once most prized possession, a statue of the Greek god Dike.

Jessie looked at the statue in her hand. Woody held out his own for it, and Jessie handed it over.

"Now, Rex," Woody said, not taking his eyes from his sister. "I think that you should leave." Rex opened his mouth to say something, "NOW!" Woody roared. He heard Rex scramble from the room, and the door banged as it closed behind him.

Jessie seemed to crumple before his eyes. He put the statue down on the table, and wrapped his sister in a brotherly embrace. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, as she sobbed into his shoulder. She shook her head. "Ok. You just cry, i'm here for you." He gently stroked her red hair as she let out all of her frustration.

Rex and Jessie had been seeing each other off and on for near 'round a year. To be honest, Woody had never liked the idea of Jessie and Rex, but Jessie loved him, so Woody had kept his mouth shut. Woody had thought it strange that Rex was in town this morning, but had just attributed it to his desire to see Jessie. He must have been with another woman.

"he had another woman's perfume on his shirt." Jessie sobbed.

"He's not worth your time, Jessie." Woody whispered. "There's someone better for you, I know it."

They heard footsteps behind them. Woody turned his head to see Buzz leaning against the doorway.

"Is everything alright? I heard a lot of yelling, the nothing but silence, so I got worried." Buzz said, looking at Woody.

"Woody, who is this man?" Jessie asked, look pointedly at her brother. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stood, trying to be a gracious hostess.

"His name is Buzz Lightyear, and I know nothing more than that." Woody replied. Jessie turned to ask Buzz, but Woody forestalled her by adding, "and neither does he."


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you alright, ma'am?" Buzz asked, turning from Woody to Jessie.

"I am better, thank ya fer askin'." Jessie replied. She wiped her face off and turned to Woody, "i'll be in the kitchen." She departed the room, edging past Buzz, who shuffled out of her way.

Buzz took a step towards Woody, who had to leap forward to keep him from falling. As Woody guided Buzz towards a chair, Buzz began to speak. "She looks very familiar." Buzz commented. His eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated. "Nothing." He sighed. "This is so..."

"Frustrating?" Woody prompted. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"No kidding." Buzz chuckled darkly.

"Woody?" Jessie's voice echoed through the small house. "Can you come in here for a moment?"

"On my way." He called back. He turned to Buzz as he stared toward the doorway. "Now you stay there! I don't want you to collapse." Buzz nodded, and Woody disappeared down the hallway.

"Why does she look so familiar?" Buzz wondered. He racked his brain, but he saw nothing besides those angelic green eyes, and that lovely long, red hair. She was decently pretty, but he could tell that she was a rough-and-tumble kind of girl. He shook his head. _I have a mission._ He thought. This thought surprised him. "Do I?" He asked himself aloud. He thought for a minute. _Well, it must not have been that important,_ Buzz decided, _Since I can't remember it..._ He shrugged.

Woody came back into the parlor with a slight grimace on his face. "Jessie says that you can stay." He smiled apologetically.

"But?" Buzz could tell that there was a provision to this offer.

"There's a barn-raising next week, and you have to go as her..." He gulped, "partner."

"Alright." Buzz agreed. Woody looked surprised. "I have one question though."

"Shoot."

"What's a _barn-raising_?"

That evening, Jessie made a light broth for Buzz, who had slept in the spare room for the larger part of the day. Woody was out with Bo to make up for running out on her earlier.

To Buzz, the broth was the best thing that he had ever tasted. He cautiously got out of bed, and found himself a great deal steadier than he was that morning. He smiled.

"I'll find Jessie and thank her for her hospitality."

He began to search the house. She wasn't in the parlor, nor the kitchen. Next he went up to the upstairs bedrooms. No dice. He looked out the window in his room and onto the yard. He could see the corral next to the jail from where he stood, and he thought that there was some movement out there that didn't belong to a horse. He cautiously went outside, and slowly approached the corral.

"Jessie?" He called out.

"What do you want?" She called back. Her voice shook a little.

"Are you alright?"

No answer. He slowly opened the gate, but he didn't see her. He searched for her in the fading twilight, and he finally found her sitting in the darkest corner of the corral, feeding bits of grass to the large brown horse in front of her.

Buzz sat down beside her. "What's his name?" He asked, indicating the horse. He could see that last rays of the dying sun shine off of the tears on her cheeks.

"Bullseye." She said softly.

"Well, hello Bullseye." Buzz offered up a piece of grass and, after a moment of examination, it was gobbled up by the horse.

"Amazing," Jessie breathed, "he doesn't really like anyone other than me and Woody." She smiled at him.

"That's better." Buzz said.

"What?"

"You're so much prettier when you smile." Buzz replied. He could see a slight blush creep across Jessie's cheeks. "So," he changed the subject. "You're not going to hang around here all night, are you?"

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked, confused.

"Aren't you going to go into town or something?"

"Why should I?"

"A beautiful girl like you should have a hundred admirers." Buzz said softly.

Jessie laughed. "Not exactly."

Buzz stood. "Then, seeing as you're free, would you like to give _me_ a tour of the town?" He held out his hand.

She thought for a moment, "I dunno..."

"It's just a walk." He said softly

She looked up at him. "Alright." She took his hand.


	8. Chapter 8

Buzz linked Jessie's arm through his, and they started down the road.

"That's the saloon." Jessie pointed to the brightly lit building on the left. "Over here," the right this time,  
"is the Millinery Shop. Bo works there." Jessie smiled. "She's Woody's girl."

Buzz couldn't help but smile at how Jessie lit up when she spoke about her brother.

The eventually reached the end of the street, between the Doc's place, and the station, and they turned around to head back.

As they drew even with the saloon, the doors swung open and a large rectangle of light spilled across the ground. Two people stumbled out and into Buzz and Jessie's path. Buzz had seen them coming and sidestepped, pulling Jessie with him.

They turned back to look at the disheveled couple.

"Hello, Rex." Jessie said coldly. He didn't look at her. Instead, tried to help the other girl off the ground.

"Howdy Jessie!" She exclaimed, pushing herself off the ground and pushing Rex's hands away at the same time.

"Trixie." Jessie nodded at her. She may have merely nodded, but Jessie's greeting towards Trixie was far warmer than the one towards Rex. This puzzled Buzz, but he made no comment.

"Sorry for stealing Rexs." Trixied grinned sheepishly. She seemed truly apologetic.

"It's not your fault Trixie." Jessie replied. "Rex is a big boy and can make his own decisions."

"Well, it seems like you've made some of your own." Rex countered, looking pointedly at Buzz. There was a faint spark of recognition in his eye. "Hey weren't you-"

"He's an old family friend." Jessie cut in. "He was injured by a fall from his horse." She held her chin up high as she bluffed her way through the explanation. "...but he has amnesia, so I really must get him home."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Rex asked, looking suspiciously at Buzz.

"Hey, Rex," Jessie's voice was soft and threatening. "Don't call me a liar or you'll spend the night in jail for blackening the honor of a deputy of the law."

"You can't-" But a squeeze on the hand from Trixie silenced him.

"Evenin' Rex, Miss Trixie." Jessie tipped her hat and led Buzz away.

"Why did you lie?" Buzz asked her, curiously.

"Lie? Me? When did _I_ lie?" Jessie asked, her voice meek and innocent.

"About me being a family friend..."

"How do you know you're not? You have amnesia, remember?" Jessie smiled at him. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to shut Rex up."

They walked a few more steps in silence. Jessie's badge glinted in the moonlight.

"So, you're local law enforcement too, huh?"Buzz prompted.

"I'm Woody's deputy." She said proudly. The climbed up the steps on the front porch, Buzz held the door open, and followed Jessie inside, his knees shaking a little.

"Oh no, I kept you out too long." Jessie worried.

"No, I'm fine." Buzz insisted. "besides, I was having fun." Jessie looked at him doubtfully, and led him over to the chaise. He sat down gratefully.

"I'll go make you something to drink." Jessie suggested. She stood still in the kitchen for a few minutes, then returned to the parlor. Just as she had suspected, he had fallen asleep. She leaned against the doorframe, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

_I suppose I wore him out._ She thought. She pulled a blanket off the back of one of the other chairs and spread it over him, ensuring that it covered him completely. She blew out the lamps that were mounted on the wall, and went upstairs.

While she washed her face in her own bedroom, Jessie realized that she was grateful to Buzz. She could now see Rex with Trixie without wanting to kill him. _This town is too small for me to __**hate**__ anyone_. She had actually enjoyed herself, and it was all due to a complete stranger. No- not a stranger anymore. A friend.


	9. Chapter 9

Buzz linked Jessie's arm through his, and they started down the road.

"That's the saloon." Jessie pointed to the brightly lit building on the left. "Over here," the right this time,  
"is the Millinery Shop. Bo works there." Jessie smiled. "She's Woody's girl."

Buzz couldn't help but smile at how Jessie lit up when she spoke about her brother.

The eventually reached the end of the street, between the Doc's place, and the station, and they turned around to head back.

As they drew even with the saloon, the doors swung open and a large rectangle of light spilled across the ground. Two people stumbled out and into Buzz and Jessie's path. Buzz had seen them coming and sidestepped, pulling Jessie with him.

They turned back to look at the disheveled couple.

"Hello, Rex." Jessie said coldly. He didn't look at her. Instead, tried to help the other girl off the ground.

"Howdy Jessie!" She exclaimed, pushing herself off the ground and pushing Rex's hands away at the same time.

"Trixie." Jessie nodded at her. She may have merely nodded, but Jessie's greeting towards Trixie was far warmer than the one towards Rex. This puzzled Buzz, but he made no comment.

"Sorry for stealing Rexs." Trixied grinned sheepishly. She seemed truly apologetic.

"It's not your fault Trixie." Jessie replied. "Rex is a big boy and can make his own decisions."

"Well, it seems like you've made some of your own." Rex countered, looking pointedly at Buzz. There was a faint spark of recognition in his eye. "Hey weren't you-"

"He's an old family friend." Jessie cut in. "He was injured by a fall from his horse." She held her chin up high as she bluffed her way through the explanation. "...but he has amnesia, so I really must get him home."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Rex asked, looking suspiciously at Buzz.

"Hey, Rex," Jessie's voice was soft and threatening. "Don't call me a liar or you'll spend the night in jail for blackening the honor of a deputy of the law."

"You can't-" But a squeeze on the hand from Trixie silenced him.

Woody shook Buzz awake the next morning, and they went into the kitchen together. "I'm surprised you were able to sleep out there." Woody commented, sitting down at the scrubbed wooden table.

"When you're really tired, it doesn't matter where you sleep." Buzz smiled. His eyes fell on Jessie, who stood by the fire, shifting a cast iron skillet with one hand, and holding a basket of eggs with the other. Her unbraided hair was tucked behind one ear, and pulled over her shoulder.

Woody glanced back and forth between the two of them, somewhat afraid of what he might see. "So, Jessie, what are your plans for today?" Jessie slid the eggs from the skillet onto a plate and put it in the middle of the table.

She sat down. "I figured that I would take Buzz out to Prosciutto's place and see about the barn-raising." She put an egg on her plate and took a bite.

"Oh." Woody sounded slightly disappointed.

Jessie eyed him suspiciously. "Why, what are you doing?"

"I have to go up to the mining town and run off some hooligans." They were silent for a few minutes as they ate.

"Sheriff," Buzz began.

"Woody." He corrected him.

Buzz smiled slightly. "Woody, where did you find me?"

Time seemed to halt. Even Jessie had stopped eating, her egg-laden fork hovering halfway to her mouth.

"Why do you ask?" Woody said carefully. "Don't you believe us when we say you're family?"

"I'm not stupid, Woody." Buzz replied. "At least, I don't think I am. It isn't very difficult to realize, especially by your conversation yesterday with Doc Piquant, that i'm _not_ family."

"You're right." Woody said after a moment. "I found you on the prairie just East of Prosciutto's Ranch." Jessie resumed eating, her eyes on her plate.

"What was I doing out there?" Buzz asked, trying to seem nonchalant.

"Your guess is as good as ours." Woody replied.

"Oh."

Jessie looked at Buzz out of the corner of her eye and saw that he wasn't moving, his hand resting on the table with the fork pointing up towards the sky, and his eyes glaring at a knot in the table.

Jessie put her fork down and stood up. "Well, I really need to get out to Prosciutto's. Buzz," she gently touched his hand, "you should go get the horses ready while I clean up."

Buzz jerked out of his reverie and nodded, then left the kitchen.

As soon as Jessie was sure he was out of earshot, she turned to Woody. "Why did you lie to him?" She demanded.

"What do you mean?" Woody asked.

"I saw you coming into town yesterday morning, and you were coming from the foothills. I ain't stupid either."

"What else did you see?" Woody put the plates in the wash basin to soak.

"I saw that thing fall out of the sky, and I saw you run after it." Jessie said. "I figured that you would have everything under control and that you wouldn't do anything _too_ stupid, so I went to bed. I knew that Rex would be coming in the morning, so I woke up early, and I saw you and him carry Buzz into Doc Piquant's." She took a breath. "I see more than you think I do."

"You might have seen all that," Woody started, "but I don't know what I saw. And, until I do, I think that it's safer if he _doesn't_ know the truth." Jessie opened her mouth to protest, but Woody cut her off. "I know what you're going to say, but I believe that it's in the best interest of everyone in town if he doesn't know anything. He could be a threat."


	10. Chapter 10

Woody watched from the kitchen window as Jessie and Buzz rode East towards Proscuitto's Ranch.

As he stared at the dust clouds kicked up by Bullseye, and Sargent, Buzz's mount, Woody realized that he was a conflicted man. He liked Buzz, for what little he knew of him, and he seemed like a good sort of man. However, Woody just couldn't be sure of anything until Buzz's memory came back, and his true nature was revealed.

Jessie, on the other hand, worried Woody on a completely different level. Woody was sure that Jessie was still reeling from her break-up with Rex, despite what she may have said to the contrary. They were never really suited to be a couple to begin with. That was obvious. So, it wasn't really a huge shock to anyone when Rex broke it off. Granted, he should have done a better job, but Rex had always lacked tact.

What worried Woody the most was how well Buzz and Jessie were getting on. He didn't want them fighting, but he didn't want them _together_ either. If Jessie truly wanted to be with Buzz, there wasn't anything the Woody could do outside of offering some advice.

Jessie was reaching the age when she had to start making her own decisions, and living with the consequences of those choices. Woody would always be there to protect her, but she had to stand on her own two feet at some point, and walk alone.

Woody knew enough of his sister to know that if he truly tried to meddle in the affairs of her heart, he would meet nothing but sheer opposition. Woody didn't know what to do. He did not want to suggest the idea of a relationship to Jessie, for fear that it might start putting ideas into her head, but he did not want to stand idly by while a stranger took his sister away, and destroyed her. Woody was a man conflicted.


	11. Chapter 11

"Buzz," Jessie began. "I should warn you, Proscuitto is a bit of a know-it-all. He will want to know all about _you_."

"Well, at this moment, he knows about as much as I do." Buzz looked down at the pommell of his saddle, his shoulders drooping slightly in confusion, and frustration

Jessie laughed slightly. "Knowing Proscuitto, he has already heard about you, so he might not ask anything." Buzz shrugged, and slience fell between them.

They hadn't been riding long when a long wooden fence came into view.

"That's the edge of Pruscuitto's land right there." Jessie pointed at the fence. They rode along the dark fence, and Buzz soon caught his fist glimpse of the mansion that was Pruscuitto's home.

It was large and splendid, but it was stained with dust. The main house consisted of three floors. The bottom had a wrap-around porch with rocking chairs and small tables set up every few feet. The second and third floors each had a wrap-around balcony, and there was a widow's walk on the roof. Underneath the sand, one could make out a light cream paint.

There were three long buildings behind the main house, each painted the same cream color. There were four doors opening off of each side. Behind each door was a smll room with wooden bunk beds. Each room housed two hostlers, allowing for a total of 48 hired workers at a time. At the end of each building were two small outhouses, and a water pump.

There was a large outdoor kitchen, with four circular firepits arranged in a square pattern. There was a wooden roof above it, and rolled up pieces of canvas that could be let down during a rainstorm. The kitchen had several scrubbed wooden tables, and its own water pump.

Next to the kitchen was a large pavilion with three long tables. This was where the workers ate dinner. In the mornings, they would find their breakfast and lunch prepared in small drawstring pouches that they could attach to their belts. As the sun went down, they would return to the main house to sup under the pavilion. If it was raining too hard, or the men wanted privacy, they could take their dinners into their rooms, provided that they returned their plates in the morning.

A little ways to the east was a large barn attached to an enormous paddock. The paddock was divided into four sections, and, in each section, were pigs. Thousands of pigs. Several hostlers were running through the largest of the paddocks, chasing squealing piglets. When they finally captured it, they took it into the barn. A loud squeal could be heard, and then the piglet would come running back into the paddock with a large 'P' branded on its side. Even further to the east was another barn and paddock, this one smaller, that contained cows.

A large stable was situated across the road from the house, with several square paddocks attached. A few chestnuts galloped through the open spaces, leading their owners on a merry chase around the field. Other horses, tacked, were tied to posts and fences at various points across the property, their riders not far away. Just to the south, a cloud of dust could be seen as a group of hostlers disappeared with a herd of cattle.

"Nice place, isn't it?"


	12. Chapter 12

Jessie turned in her saddle to see Proscuitto coming out of the main house. He had a glass of iced ted in one hand, and a bandanna in the other.

He was a large man, but like a kind benefactor would be. He had thick brown hair that was shaggy around the ears, and flowed into his sideburns and beard. He had a broad nose, and an even broader smile. He wore a pair of sand-stained blue jeans, a white shirt, and a dark brown jacket. his skin was tanned from years spent out-of-doors, and his lips were cracked with sunburn. He wore a dark brown cowboy hat that was faded on the top with sun.

"Howdy Jessie."

"Proscuitto." Jessie nodded.

"I heard about you and Rex." He said. "Awful sorry about that." His eyes fell on Buzz.

"It's all water under the bridge now." Jessie replied, following his gaze. "This is Buzz Lightyear. He's an old family friend."

"Is he now?" Proscuitto looked him over curiously. "He's never come 'round here before."

"Couldn't afford it." Buzz threw in. "Jessie and Woody were kind enough to help pay for the trip."

"Are you stayin' 'round these parts, then?"

"For the foreseeable future." Buzz said. Jessie nodded.

Proscuitto looked Buzz over again. "Well, if you need a job, we could always use a man with muscles like yours."

"Really?" Buzz's excitement spilled out through his voice. He dismounted his horse so to look Proscuitto in the eye. "You would hire me?"

"'Course." He said. "One of my men just married some girl up in the mining village, so now he's a miner." He shook his head. "A perfectly good hustler gone to waste." He looked up at Buzz. "I just have to talk it over with the missus, and you can start today." Proscuitto turned back the way he had come, and disappeared into the main house.

"Buzz," Jessie began, dismounting Bullseye, and taking up his reins in her left hand. "I don't think that is is a good idea."


	13. Chapter 13

"Why not?" Buzz asked her.

Jessie swung her feet in her stirrups, and looked down at her hands holding on to the reins. "Well... you just recovered, and... I don't think that you should push yourself too hard."

Buzz smiled slightly. "I'll be fine Jessie."

She got off her horse, and took a step towards Buzz. "But, you-" She fell silent when Buzz put his hands on her shoulders.

"I appreciate your concern." He said softly. "But, you shouldn't worry too much about someone that you barely know." He kissed her forehead, and pulled back away. Their eyes met, and they froze as they each realized what had just transpired between them. "Um... I, uh..."

"Yeah..." They pulled apart, and Jessie tipped her hat forward to cover her eyes, and looked down at her boots. She scuffed her feet in the dirt, and remounted Bullseye.

"She said yes!" Buzz turned to see Proscuitto coming towards him. The tea was gone, replaced by a green bandanna and an old cowboy hat. These he handed to Buzz, and took the reins from his hands. "Let's go put your horse in the stable, and I can begin to show you the ropes around here."

"Wait, this horse isn't mine, it's Jessie-" he turned to motion to Jessie, but she had already ridden away.

"Well, you can return the animal later." Proscuitto said. He began to lead the horse towards the stables. After a moment, Buzz followed.


	14. Chapter 14

The rest of that week passed quickly as Buzz was put to very hard manual labor. He rose with the rest of the cowhands before down, and didn't stop for more than a brief rest until sundown, when they ate dinner, and went to bed. Then they rose a few hours later, and did it all over again.

Buzz's apparently immense strength made him indispensable when it came to moving lumber around the frame for the new barn.

There was alot of work to be done, and not alot of time to be doing it. The date of the barn-raising was coming up fast, and all of the cowherds were looking forward to taking their young fillies for a spin on the dance floor.

Even Buzz found himself thinking about a girl with long red hair and cowhide chaps.

"Hey, Buzz!" Prosciutto's jerked Buzz out of his reverie, and he looked up from the nail that he was hammering into a stud.

"Sir?" Prosciutto motioned for Buzz to put his hammer down and come over to the porch. It was the around midday, the day before the barn-raising, and Buzz was almost done siding the final wall.

Buzz approached the porch, where many other cowherds had taken refuge from the hot sun to eat their lunches, and where Prosciutto was lounging with a glass of iced tea in one hand.

"Sit down and take a load off, boy." Prosciutto ordered. "I'm gettin' tired just lookin' at ya."

"Yeah, 'cuz he's the only one who does any work around here." Came a voice from inside the house. The cowboy all howled with laughter as they moved around to make space for Buzz. He found himself sitting between Rex, and a rather stoic man that everyone called 'Chuckles'. Why? Buzz wasn't really sure, but he thought that there was some kind of back story there.

"So, Rex," Prosciutto began. "How's Trixie doin'?"

A few of the hands gave catcalls and wolf-whistles. Rex blushed a little bit.

"Well, I don't know why she would hang around with a guy like me. She could find a better man." Rex said anxiously.

"Ain't that right." Another man said. They all slapped their knees in laughter.

"Watch your mouth Ken," Chuckles said. "Barb may think that you're goin' to cheat on her."

Ken gasped. "Cheat on Barb? Are you kidding? We go together like bacon and eggs, toast and butter, boots and spurs!"

"Yeah, and she's the spur." Prosciutto teased. They all roared with laughter again.

Ken stood indignantly. "You all just _wish_ that _you_ had what _we_ have." He stormed off, and the porch just laughed even louder.

"What about you, Buzz?" Bookworm looked up from the book that he was reading, just long enough to ask the question. Then, it was echoed around by all the others.

"I've hardly been here long enough, guys." Buzz insisted.

"What about Jessie?" Rex suggested casually.

"What about her?"

"Well, you two seemed pretty friendly when Trixie and I ran into y'all in town last week."

"We were just out for a walk."

"I heered tell that Jessie's going to the barn-raising with someone already anyway." Bookworm said.

"How do _you_ know that?" Prosciutto quizzed him.

"'Cause I listen." Bookworm closed his book, and made to stand up. "I was in town last week in the millinery shop to pick up my hat, and I heered Miss Bo and Miss Jessie talkin' 'bout the barn-raising. Miss Bo said that she was, o'course, goin' with the Sheriff - him bein' her bethrothed and all - and Miss Jessie said-"

Bookworm was startled into silence as Buzz suddenly stood up, and calmly left the porch, tipping his hat down over his brow, and heading back towards the barn. No one said a word as they watched Buzz pick up his hammer, and return to beating the nail back into the stud.

Finally, it was Prosciutto who broke the silence. "i suppose he _does_ fancy Miss Jessie."

Bookworm shrugged, and made to head back towards his bullet so as to return his book before rejoining the her on the east range.

"Wait, Bookworm," One man called out, and he paused. "Who did Miss Jessie say that she was goin' with?"

"Buzz."


	15. Chapter 15

Before anyone knew it, the barn-raising had arrived.

The men came in their hats, boots, and their working clothes, their shirt sleeves rolled up above their elbows to show off their muscles to the ladies.

The womenfolk were all taking refuge inside, helping Missus Prosciutto prepare lunch, and, later, dinner. They were dressed in their best sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes, with old aprons thrown on top.

Once the women were inside, the men were able to focus long enough to get the barn up. They gathered around as Prosciutto delegated chores and positions to each of the men, and they all took their positions.

Buzz found himself between Rex and Sheriff Woody.

"Hey, Sheriff." Buzz greeted him.

Woody looked up, and, realizing who it was, clapped Buzz on the shoulder. "How are ya Buzz? Long time no see. Prosciutto says that you're a good farmhand."

"It's 'cause he's got too many muscles." Rex commented. They all laughed, and reached down to grab the ropes lying on the ground.

They were stationed along the inside of the eastern wall. Each of the four walls were set at ninety degree angles to each other, making a square in the dust where the floor of the barn was to be. The ropes were secured to what would be the top of the wall where it met the roof. The men were to pull on the ropes to get the walls up in the air, and, once they were perpendicular with the ground, they would be secured. That would happen to each wall until all four were standing, then they would be attached to each other, and support themselves.

All-in-all, it took about two to three hours to get the barn erected and set, and- by that time- it was high noon, and time for the men to go wash up down in the creek, and get cleaned up for lunch, then the dancing.


	16. Chapter 16

As with the actual raising of the barn, the men cleaned up quickly, and were back at the house by the time that the women were finished laying everything out. They ate ravenously, and that was finished in record time as well.

Buzz stood off by himself, leaning against the corner of the house. He wore a loose white shirt, tucked into his blue jeans, and his jeans were tucked into his polished brown boots. He had a brown hat on, and a new brown vest.

It was around 2pm, and so the musicians reached into their cases and pulled out their instruments, tuning them quickly with the piano that had been brought outside. The tension was almost palpable as the men and women milled about, finding their first dance partners, and preparing for Prosciutto to open the floor.

"Howdy there, Buzz." Buzz looked around, and found Jessie standing at his elbow. He had a hard time keeping his mouth from dropping open. Her hair was pulled back from her face, and twisted up into a loose and wavy bun. She had some kind of face powder on to make her look softer, and to hide what years under the harsh desert sun had done. In other words, her freckles were covered, leaving pale smooth skin. She wore a long white dress with blue and orange flowers embroidered on it. It was a soft cotton, so her skirts fluttered slightly in the wind, revealing a pair of white button-up ankle boots- the kind that were very fashionable in the big eastern cities at the time.

She looked up at him expectantly. When Buzz didn't say anything, she started to blush uncontrollably. "I told the girls that the makeup was too much, and I told Bo that the dress was too fancy..." She stammered. "I'd better go wash it off." She started to turn and walk away, but Buzz grabbed her wrist lightly.

"No." He said. Jessie didn't turn to look at him. "I- uh... I don't mind it. You don't have to change for me." She glanced back at him, and their eyes met briefly.

Prosciutto's booming voice washed over the crowd, and all eyes turned to him.

"I would like to thank y'all fer comin' out here today." He started. "Thank ya men for raisin' the barn, and thank y'all ladies for making the great food!" Everyone applauded. He motioned for quiet. "Now, without further ado, I managed to git them miners to come down and play some fiddle music fer us, so let's git to dancin'!" Everyone cheered, and the musicians started to play.

A few of the cowherds pulled their girls onto the floor, and started to perform a quick country-two-step.

Buzz turned to Jessie, and held out a hand. "Would you care to dance?" Jessie smiled and put her hand in his. They moved among the dancers, and found an open spot.

Buzz took up Jessie's right hand in his left, and placed his right on her waist. They started moving moderately slow, and then they started to catch up with everyone else.

They were so absorbed with each other that they didn't notice Prosciutto start pulling other couples from the floor, whispering something in their ears. They would smile and glance at Jessie and Buzz, then dance off the floor. When the whole floor was clear, save Jessie and Buzz, Prosciutto whispered something in each of the player's ears. When they all nodded that they understood, He faded back into the crowd.

Gradually, the music became faster and faster, and it acquired a Latin beat. The trumpet player put down his instrument and began to sing:

_Hay un amigo en mi  
Hay un amigo en mi_

Jessie and Buzz sped up their dancing to match the beat, their style evolving into a rough, unchoreographed form of the Paso Doble. As Buzz spun Jessie, her hair broke free from the few pins that held it up, and it flew out behind her like a fiery red mane, Her dress fanned out around her, but her eyes never left Buzz.

_Hay muchos que pueden ser  
Un poco más listos  
Mas nunca habrá quien pueda ser  
Un amigo fiel  
Que tú lo sabes_

They would draw together, and apart, then back together again, not touching except for their hands. Time seemed to halt for them. They found solace in just holding each others hands: Jessie from her heartbreak, and Buzz from his apparent separation from everything he had ever known.

_Los años pasarán  
Lo nuestro no morirá  
Lo vas a ver, mejor tener  
Un buen amigo en mí  
Hay un amigo en mí_

As the music reached its climax, Buzz spun Jessie out then back in, and dipped her back over his knee as the final note struck.

There was silence as Jessie and Buzz looked at each other. Then, as though a dam had broken, all of the people started cheering. Jessie and Buzz looked up and realized that they were the only ones on the floor.

Buzz felt Jessie go rigid. He looked over at her, and saw that her face was bright red from embarrassment and, he thought that he could see shame. She stood, and ran off the stage, her face buried in her hands. Buzz stood up, and put a hand out to stop her, but she already outside the crowd around the stage.

There was silence. Buzz took a few steps forwards, then ran to follow her.


	17. Chapter 17

"Miss Bo!" Woody called out. "Miss Bo Peep?" There was no answer. All he could see around him were women in dresses and men in slacks. After wandering around for about ten minutes, a drink in each hand, he finally spotted her, perched atop a porch railing.

She was a picture of loveliness. She wore a long pink dress with a ruffled petticoat that hung just past the hem. Her hair was pulled back into a sort of ponytail of luxurious ringlets just large enough for him to fit his finger into.

He made his way over to her and handed her the colder of the two drinks.

"Why thank you, kind sir." She bowed her head slightly. "I'm not supposed to take drinks from strangers."

"Well, little lady," Woody replied, "they don't come much stranger than me." He grinned and pulled himself up on the railing beside her. He took her hand in his. "I love you, Bo." He kissed the back of her hand.

"Behave yourself, Woody." She smiled at him, and he knew that she loved him too.

"Hey, Woody!" He looked up to see Jessie waving at him from a little ways away.

He squeezed Bo's hand, then slid off the railing. He wove through the crowd and was quickly at Jessie's side.

"You look pretty." He commented, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't laugh at me!" Jessie demanded. "I told the girls that this was too much and that no one would like it."

"I was being sincere." He replied, straight-faced this time.

She looked at him skeptically, but seemed to decide that he was on the level. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Really? I thought that I was rather dashing." He was, indeed. He wore a brand new pair of black jeans, black boots, and a black shirt with silver embroidery over the breast. He had silver buttons at his cuffs, and silver buckles on his boots and at his belt. Even his hat was black-with a silver band around the inside of the brim. "Bo made it for me."

"Have you seen Buzz?" Jessie asked, somewhat casually.

Woody rolled his eyes. "He's standing over there." He pointed over towards the far side of the stage, where Buzz's blond hair could be seen over the heads of the crowd.

Jessie was gone in a flash. Woody just shook his head, and made his way back to Bo.

"What was that about?" She asked as he pulled himself up onto the railing beside her.

"Oh, she wanted to know where Buzz is."

"Good," She said. Woody looked at her incredulously. "It's nice to know that she's moved on from Rex."

"Yeah, but to Buzz?" He replied. "How much do we actually know about the guy?"

"Admittedly, not much." She sighed. "However, from what we have seen, he seems to be a nice guy."

"He doesn't even know who he is, Bo. How can we know what he's really like?"

"All that I have heard from Lady Prosciutto says that he is one of the best men her husband has hired in the past decade." Bo said. "If she likes him, and trusts him, then I trust him."

"But, Bo-"

"Look, the whole town believes that they are a good match."

"How can you tell? He's barely been here for two weeks."

"Do you want proof? Look at the stage." She pointed over towards the crowded stage.

Woody reluctantly turned to look, and his jaw practically dropped at what he saw.

Jessie and Buzz were twirling around the dance floor, the only couple there. Only, they didn't seem to mind. The town had crowded around the dance floor, and were watching in stunned, approving silence. Then the music stopped, and there was a moment of silence- then they erupted into applause.

Woody saw Jessie turn to cold stone in Buzz's arms, and he saw a confused look cross both of their faces. Jessie stood, then ran from the stage. Buzz seemed to stagger for a moment, then he ran after her. They tore around the new barn, and out of sight.

Woody started to slide down off the railing-the initial shock having worn off-but Bo placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. He opened his mouth to say something, but she just shook her head again, and squeezed his arm.

_Let Buzz handle it._


	18. Chapter 18

Jessie ran as fast as she could, holding up her skirts so she didn't trip. Her heart was beating so hard that she couldn't breathe. She ran as if the devil himself were after her, and didn't stop until stop until she came to a fence about a mile and a half out from the main house.

She wrapped her arms around one of the fenceposts, and presses her cheek against the cool wood. Then, the tears came. It was as if a dam had broken open, and all of her pent up emotions burst out of her, racking her small frame with huge, heaving sobs.

Buzz stopped about a hundred feet behind her. He was near enough to hear her, but not near enough for her to notice him. She needed some time - that much was clear. _Sometimes, the best therapy is crying_. He waited patiently for her to calm down before making himself known.

"Jessie?" He approached her slowly. Her head turned slightly - barely an acknowledgment that he was there. "Are you alright?"

"What do you think?" She said. She dug her fingernails into the wood. "I was just embarrassed in front of all of Andonnie!"

"You don't need to be embarrassed, Jessie."

"Why not?" Jessie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Didn't you have fun?"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is?" She didn't respond. "Jessie, what is _wrong_?"

"I just didn't want everyone to know..."

"To know what? Jessie?" Again, no response. "Jessie, you can tell me," He put a hand gently on her shoulder. "I won't tell a soul."

"Why not?" She countered. She turned to face him. "What do you stand to gain?"

"Your confidence." He shrugged, "But, I won't force it from you." He started back towards the house.

He'd gone about fifteen feet when felt a hand on his arm. He looked down and saw Jessie standing at his elbow. "What?"

"Don't go." She said softly. She bit her lower lip nervously. She glanced up at his face, then looked away as a soft blush began to spread across her cheeks.

"Jessie, what on Earth is wrong? You're really starting to worry me!"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"You're clearly not!" he turned to face her. "Why don't you trust me? We haven't known each other that long but I feel- I've never given you cause to doubt me." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You can tell me!"

"I don't want another Rex!" She buried her face in her hands. Buzz was dumbstruck. "We didn't really love each other- not towards the end. I was goin' to end it the next day anyway. I just don't want the person I love to leave me!"

Buzz pulled her to his chest, and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry," he said, stroking her hair. "Had I known that you were in love with-" He gulped, "someone else, I would not have asked you to dance." He kissed her hair. "I'm sorry." He started to pull away, but something stopped him. He looked down, and saw Jessie's hands gripping the front of his shirt.

"There is no one else." She looked up at him. "It's you!" She buried her face in his chest, breathing deeply. "It's you, Buzz."

Buzz slowly pulled his senses together, Jessie's voice saying 'It's you, Buzz' echoing endlessly around inside his head.

He looked down at her with a slight smile beginning to play across his lips. "That's it? That's what you didn't want to tell me?" He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and held her close. "Well, I'll tell you my secret, Miss Jessie." he whispered in her ear. "I love you, too."


	19. Chapter 19

Buzz took Jessie's hand, and looped her arm through his. They started slowly back towards the house- not really saying much, but enjoying each others company all the same. They slipped quietly around the barn and faded into the crowd.

After some time, they found their way to the front porch of the main house, where Woody and Bo were still perched. Jessie rushed over and pulled herself up onto the railing to sit beside Bo. When Buzz finally caught up to them, Jessie took his hand in her's and turned to whisper excitedly into Bo's ear.

After a moment, Buzz's eyes found Woody's. He started slightly at the look on the sheriff's face. The most profound distrust clouded his brow, and his glare seemed to bore holes into Buzz's skin. They stared at each other for a few moments until Bo distracted Woody.

The couple moved away, but Buzz could still feel the sheriff's eyes watching him. He shivered slightly, and shook it off.

The sun was beginning to set, and the men began to gather up the firewood to build a bonfire out in one of the sandier corrals. By the time the sun had sunk below the horizon, the ranch-hands had a fairly good blaze going. The flames were at least seven to eight feet tall, and shot out sparks of many colors.

Buzz threw a final log onto the fire, and stepped back, clapping his hands together to rid them of the sand. He nodded proudly at the impressive size of the fire, ad started to move away to find Jessie.

"Watch yourself." Came a low voice from his right.

Buzz looked around. Woody was standing at his shoulder, a piece of straw clenched between his teeth, and his brim pulled low to protect his eyes from the sheer brightness of the flames.

The Sheriff looked at Andonnie's newest citizen, sizing him up. "I don't know where you came from," his voice took on a threatening tone, "but, 'round these parts, Sheriffs get certain _privileges_, if you know what I mean."

Buzz didn't reply.

"Like I said, watch yourself." He stared straight into the fire, the light from the flames dancing across his eyes, giving him an almost manic look. "If anything were to happen to Jessie..." The fire snapped loudly, and Woody glanced at Buzz.

"Nothing is going to happen to her." Buzz said quietly.

"If she gets hurt in any way..." Woody looked over where his sister and fiancée were sitting. They seemed to be gossiping about something. Jessie's laughter could be heard across the field.

"Like I said, I won't let anything happen to her."

"I don't trust you." Woody looked Buzz square in the face.

"I understand." Buzz nodded. "You've only known me for two weeks, why should you? I've not done anything to earn it." He glanced at Jessie, then back at Woody. "However, you're not the one who decides that, are you?" They stared at each other for a moment longer, testing each other. "Sheriff." He touched his hat, and nodded his head, then moved towards Jessie.


	20. Chapter 20

The next few months flew by. Jessie and Buzz seemed to be attached at the hip. The only time they were apart was when they were working or on duty. All of Andonnie approved of the match. They were both courageous, and strong, as well as an incredibly handsome couple.

Woody watched them warily, but even he eventually began to relent. Buzz seemed to be showing no signs of triviality. In fact, he was more devoted to Jessie than anyone he had ever seen. Buzz was quiet in his regard, but he showed to her, and that was all that mattered.

It had been about a year since Buzz had come to their town, but it seemed like a lifetime.

One night as summer was drawing to a close, Buzz ventured into town alone. Jessie was in the Milliner's Shop with Bo, and they were admiring a new silk shipment that had just arrived. Jessie wasn't a particularly girly person, but she did have an eye for pretty fabrics. Buzz had already bought her two dresses that had looked absolutely stunning on her, and he was planning on a third.

He casually strolled down the street, walking towards Dolly's Saloon. A slight commotion at the end of the street briefly caught his attention, but it was soon revealed to be a small band of Indians. IThey must be here to see Bo./I He decided. Jessie had told him of Bo's past, and her continual friendship with the Hopi. This was confirmed when the Indians tethered their mounts outside Bo's store and went inside.

He turned his attention back to the saloon, and went inside. The doors swung shut behind him, but he attracted very little attention. There was simply too much noise; the miners had just been paid.

After a moment's search, he eventually found Woody sitting at the bar, a half-empty snifter in his hand, and an empty barstool on his right. Buzz quickly made his way across the saloon, and sat down.

Dolly appeared a moment later. "Can I get 'ya anythin' Buzz?"

"No thanks, Miss Dolly." He replied, flashing her a charming smile.

"Well, just give me a holler if you change your mind." She smiled at them both and walked back down the bar.

"Woody," Buzz began.

"You're here to ask my for Jessie, right?"

Buzz swallowed nervously. "How did you know?"

"Your ring came in today." Woody replied. He was staring at the whiskey in his snifter as it swirled around the glass. "The postmaster told me." He downed the rest of the whiskey, and set the snifter on the bar rather forcefully. Dolly glanced down at them briefly, but didn't say anything. Woody out his hand on Buzz's arm, "Walk with me."

They quickly left the saloon, and headed towards the corral beside the jail.

"Well? What is your answer?" Buzz asked after a few minutes of silence.

"To what?" Woody replied. "You haven't actually asked me anything."

"May I have Jessie's hand?"

"I hope not permanently." He had a strange look in his eyes. "It will be difficult for her to ride with only one hand." Then, Buzz recognized that look as laughter.

"I meant in marriage." He took a deep breath. "Will you allow me to marry Jessie?"

"Yes." Woody said simply. They had arrived at the corral by now, and he leaned against the top bar of the fence, placing his chin on his folded arms, and resting his foot on the bottom rung. "Jessie is the type of girl to whom I wouldn't dare refuse anything. If she really wants you, then she may have you."

They stood in silence, Woody leaning on the fence, and Buzz standing to the side, his hand buried in his pockets. He felt the smooth band between his fingers. It wasn't much, but it would be enough. He opened his mouth, but Woody shook his head.

"Let's go find the girls." He said, softly.

"They're at Bo's store." Buzz replied. They headed back down the street, and were soon outside her shop.

Woody rapped his knuckles on the glass, and Bo motioned for them to come inside. They did, and the sheriff soon had her in his arms. Buzz went to stand beside Jessie.

"Is that him?" Came a male voice from the corner. Buzz and Woody looked over to see three Hopi Indians standing in the shadows. One came forward, a chief presumably, and addressed Bo. "Is this the one?"

Bo glanced at Woody, and then looked back at the Indian. "Yes, that's him."

The chief nodded briefly and his eyes briefly met Woody's. They broke eye contact, and he turned to Buzz.

He knelt before him, and bowed his head. The other two followed suit. Buzz stared at them in complete confusion before looking at Bo for help.

"This is Two Eagles," She began, motioning to the Chieftain, "and these are two of his warriors, Otter, and Ten Bears." She smiled tenderly at them. "They found me when I was a child."

"Fate." Two Eagles said, standing. Otter and Ten Bears stood behind him. "Thank you, Bo." He added, "but I can make good the English." He turned back to Buzz.

"Three sunrises past," he began, "the shaman of our village made vision from Sky god. He say that one has come to save us all." His eyes seemed to pierce through Buzz. "He say we find him here, a stranger to us all. Then, a face showed in the smoke." Ten Bears held up a piece of rolled up hide, and handed it to Two Eagles. He unrolled it, and placed it flat on a nearby table. "This face."

Buzz drew near to the picture, and his face went pale.

"What is it Buzz?" She moved beside him, to get a better look. She looked at the drawing, and gasped. She looked at Buzz. "Goodness, It's you!"


	21. Chapter 21

The room was dead silent. Buzz was fixated on the drawing, studying every charcoal line that had been drawn across the hide. Two Eagles watched Buzz intently, his intelligent eyes drinking in his every movement in an effort to ascertain his reaction to the drawing.

Buzz finally broke the silence. "I've seen this before." He murmured.

"Yeah, Buzz," Woody started. "It's your face, of course you've seen it before."

"No," He countered. "I mean, i've seen this drawing before." He closed his eyes, and searched desperately for the small memory that was evading him at every turn. "It's something I saw at the academy." He finally opened his eyes. "It was a very famous piece of art, but no one ever knew who had drawn it, or who the subject was. It was like the Mona Lisa. Historians debated it for centuries, but they never got close to an answer."

"The academy?" Jessie questioned. "What is 'the academy'?"

"I don't know." Buzz said. He sighed, and looked at Jessie. "I suppose that it's where I went to school, but I don't remember anything more." They fell silent again, and Buzz turned back to the drawing.

After another few minutes of silence, Woody started to speak. "Buzz-"

He was interrupted. "Woody," Buzz turned to the sheriff. "Where did you say you found me again?"

Woody looked down at his boots, then up at Buzz. Their eyes met, and Woody was caught in his determined, steadfast gaze. He knew that he couldn't keep it from him anymore. He sighed. "Alright." He said. "You deserve to know." He started toward the door. "Follow me." When all of them started to follow, he put up his hand to stop them. "No, only Buzz and Two Eagles."

Jessie opened her mouth to protest, but Buzz forestalled her by squeezing her hand, and kissing her lightly on the forehead. "I'll be back soon." He whispered barely loud enough for even Jessie to hear.

Woody, Buzz, and Two Eagles left the Millinery shop, and stood in the road for a moment to get their bearing in the sudden darkness. Buzz started to turn west, towards the desert.

"Buzz," Woody called his quietly. "It's this way." He motioned towards the mountains behind them, to the southeast. Buzz nodded, and they started forward.

They walked in silence until they reached the foothills.

"How can you find it in the dark?" Buzz asked, slightly confused.

"The day after you came, and you were at my home, I came back and marked the trees that led up to where I found you." Buzz nodded, and then fell silent.

They walked up the mountain for half an hour before they came to the fringes of the burned out clearing.

"This is where you landed." Woody said, motioning to the scorched trough in the mountainside.

"What do you mean 'landed'?" Buzz asked, starting to move slowly into the clearing."

"You fell from the sky." Two Eagles commented. They were the first words out of his mouth since they had left the store.

"That's right." Woody said, turning to the Hopi chief. "How did you know that?"

"My people, too, saw him fall from the sky." Two Eagles said. "We thought a piece of sun had fallen, but no warriors would look for it."


	22. Chapter 22

Buzz stared at the scorch marks on the ground in awe. "You mean... I did this?" He whispered.

"Well," Woody pointed at the far end of the clearing. "Not you personally."

Buzz walked slowly across the clearing towards where Woody was pointing. It was a huge dark shape that was at least as tall as he was. As he got closer, he could make out that it was a mound of dirt. He cautiously climbed to the top, and peered over the edge, and saw a giant pit in the side of the mountain.

At the bottom sat a dirty metal contraption with glass on one side. It had some kind of symbol in blue emblazoned on the metal, but Buzz couldn't quite make it out from where he was. So, he slid down into the pit, and alighted on the thing's side. He brushed the dirt and mud away from the blue symbol. There were two words written clearly below a symbol with wings.

"Star Command." He mumbled. There was another phrase, written in smaller letters, just below that. "To infinity and beyond..."

Something snapped. Buzz felt as if he were being pulled in a hundred different directions at once. Images began to swim before his eyes.

The academy. Mars Station. His commander. A mission. A time portal. Then, nothing.

When Buzz finally regained control of his senses, he turned to the glass wall of the spaceship- for that's what it was- and he pressed the 'OPEN' button. The glass slid open, and Buzz dropped inside, sitting in the chair that he had occupied a year earlier. He looked all around him, and finally found a small switch just below the rocket booster monitor. He flipped it, and a low hum began. The ship slowly came to life. When it was fully operational, he began to press buttons in sequences, pulling up video files, historical records, and a calender.

"Woody!" He shouted up to the Sheriff. "What is today?"

"Today?" Woody's voice sounded perplexed. "It's Saturday."

"The date! I need the date!"

"Well, it's after midnight, so it's June 11th, 1866. Why?"

Buzz stared at the date on his screen and cursed. He pulled a small viewing device out of a cabinet above his head, and transferred the entire computer core over to the device. He turned the computer back off, and climbed out of the rocket, scrambling up to the top of the pit to rejoin Woody and Two Eagles.

"Buzz, what's wrong?" Woody asked.

"Why didn't you show me this sooner?" Buzz grabbed Woody's arm and shook him. When Woody opened his mouth to answer, Buzz interrupted him. "It doesn't matter why, it's too late now."

"What do you mean?" Woody asked. "Too late for what?"

"Emperor Zurg is going to invade the Earth." Buzz said. "Tomorrow."


	23. Chapter 23

"Emperor who?" Woody asked blankly.

"Emperor Zurg." Buzz looked down at the device in his hands. It woke up slowly. A year of inactivity will do that to electronics. "tch." He hit the side of it with against the palm of his hand. It started to move a little faster. "That's better." He muttered.

"Wait, who is Emperor Zurg?" Woody was just plain confused. He'd never even heard a name like 'Zurg'. Then again, he had never heard of anyone called 'Buzz' before either.

"He is only the baddest man in the universe." Buzz replied. "In fact, I'm not sure he even is a man..." Then, he added darkly, "At least, not anymore."

"Ok, then what did you mean by 'he is invading tomorrow'?"

"I arrived here a year ago, correct?" Woody nodded. "Ok, I was sent back in time under the orders of Star Command to protect the future of the Galactic Alliance by stopping Emperor Zurg's invasion of the Earth."

"What do you mean by 'sent back in time'?"

"So many questions." Buzz muttered under his breath. "You know, time travel, H.G. Wells." Woody's blank look was back. "No? Oh yeah, he's not going to be born for another four months and ten days." Buzz laughed ironically. "Look," he began again, slowly. "I am from the future. So is Emperor Zurg. He escaped from our primary detention center by leaping through a fissure in space and time. This is when our history - your present - began to change.

"He launched a full-scale invasion of planet Earth, and proceeded to take over the world, with almost no opposition. I was sent back in time to prevent that from happening." He paused and looked up at Woody. The Sheriff's mouth was agape.

"Why here?" Two Eagles asked, quietly.

"I don't know." Buzz sighed. "But, for some reason, Zurg chose to invade Andonnie." He looked back at Woody. "If we succeed in stopping him, all will be as it was before. I will automatically be sent home - along with my ship - and none of you will have any memory of me." A pained expression crossed the space ranger's face.

"And, if we fail?" Woody asked tentatively. He winced at Buzz's response.

"Zurg will eradicate the human race."


	24. Chapter 24

"Sir, we just received some interesting sensor readings."

Emperor Zurg sat reclined in his chair, his pointed boots propped up on the desk before him. His head was resting on the back of his chair, his closed eyes turned towards the ceiling. "This had better be good." Zurg said, slowly opening his eyes, and tilting his head back down. He moved his feet slightly so as to see his subordinate. "If this is another shooting star..." He let his voice trail off threateningly as he examined one of his black gloves.

"It is sir." The nervous man placed a small electronic pad on the Emperor's desk and turned it towards him. "We've found a trail of crystalic fusion leading straight towards Earth."

"Where?" The Emperor pulled his feet from the desk, and slid the pad closer to get a better look.

"In a city called 'Andonnie'." The man said, wringing his hands.

"Set a course for Andonnie." Zurg commanded. The man snapped a salute and then ran back out to pass on the orders. Zurg looked back down at the pad in his hands.

"Buzz Lightyear, I have you now."


	25. Chapter 25

"The one thing that I don't understand is," Buzz began."Why did Zurg choose Andonnie? It isn't in a particularly strategic location, and there isn't anything that can possibly be of interest to him here..." He was poring over a map of Andonnie and the surrounding area that was spread out on a table in Bo's shop. He frowned slightly. "The coal mines aren't of any use to Zurg, and he doesn't even know what a cow _is_. It just doesn't make any sense."

"Does it really matter _why_ he's attacking?" Bo interjected. "All that matters is that he is."

"If we knew his motives, it would be easier to manipulate him into making a mistake." Buzz glanced up at her. "And Emperor Zurg doesn't make mistakes."

"Well," Jessie began. "We'll just have to improvise." She touched Buzz's arm gently. "We can win this."

Buzz made a "tch" sound. "Yeah, maybe." He picked up the pad he had taken from the crashed spaceship. "According to the schematics I got from the ship, Zurg's forces will land somewhere in Prociutto's fields. Then, they will attack overland. That's good because we would be no match for them from the air, and we know the land better- home-field-advantage one could say."

"'Home-field-advantage'?" Woody repeated quizzically.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting, after your time." Buzz looked intently at the schematics. "Sheriff, it's about time you called a town meeting."


	26. Chapter 26

The entire town had been called into the streets. They were milling around, muttering quietly to each other and wondering what had caused the Sheriff and his Deputy to raise them from their beds so early in the morning.

Jessie observed them from the balcony above the saloon, her eyes narrowed as she tried to imagine these simple people fighting a futuristic space man and his green little minions. Needless to say, she couldn't.

Buzz placed his hand on her shoulder, and smiled slightly, then moved forward to stand next to the railing. Jessie noticed he had a new watch on his hi wrist, and a holster hooked to his belt - with a strange kind of gun in it.

"People of Andonnie!" He cried out to the townsfolk below. The muttering stopped almost immediately. "I have very important news, and I need all of you to remain calm." Jessie could see the citizens' eyes shifting back and forth nervously.

"We have learned that there is going to be an attack on Andonnie!" Buzz said. There was a collective gasp from the people below. "They will be here by noon! We have very little time to prepare."

"Who is attacking us?" Called one female voice.

Buzz glanced uneasily at Woody. _This isn't going to be easy..._ Jessie thought.

"It does not matter who they are." Said Buzz, sternly. "All that matters is that they are coming."

"I think that we deserve to at least know who is attacking us." Came a male voice.

Buzz glanced uneasily at Woody.

"Believe me when I say that you have never heard of them." Buzz replied.

"How can we trust you?" Called a miner, his face black with soot. "You don't even know your own name!"

"You'll just have to-" Buzz began, but was interrupted.

"And, how do we know that you even care about Andonnie?"

"What about you Sheriff? What do you think about all this?"

"I trust that Buzz is right." Woody replied, tipping his hat back.

"How do we know that your brains haven't been addled?"

At this point, the crowd was a cacophony of arguing and yelling.

Jessie was about to yell at them to shut up, but she was stopped by a deafening blast that was so loud that she had to cover her ears. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Buzz standing on the railing with his strange gun pointed up in the air. It was emitting a faint smoke - a telltale sign that it had just been fired.

"Order!" He shouted.

"What the hell was that?" Shouted one citizen.

"You could have deafened us!" Yelled another.

"Who do you think you are anyway?"

Buzz fired his gun again, and Jessie saw it discharge a bright green bolt of light. She followed its path and saw it hit the ground between the feet of the last speaker. The crowd fell silent as they stared at the burn mark, then looked back up at Buzz.

"I'll tell you who I am!" Buzz snarled. "I am Buzz Lightyear! I am stationed in the Gamma Quadrant of Sector 4. I am a member of the elite Universe Protection Unit of the SPACE RANGER Corps. I came here to protect your sorry hides from the threat of invasion by the Evil Emperor Zurg, sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance." He fired another shot into the air. "I've led armies, battled armadas, fought monsters, and seen things that you couldn't even begin to imagine." He leveled the gun right at the man's chest. "Who am I? I am your savior."

Everyone was silent. Jessie's mouth was agape. She'd never seen Buzz act like this.

Buzz tapped the watch on his wrist, and metal began to spread up his arm and across his chest. Before long, he was completely encased in what looked like a giant, titanium suit of green, purple, black, and grey. He knocked his heels together, and shot up a few feet in the air, fire coming out of the soles of his boots. He slowly descended down to the townsfolk.

"Emperor Zurg attacks at noon." Buzz said, alighting on the ground in front of the crowd. "He cannot be reasoned with. You have _nothing_ he wants." He looked over at Dolly who was leaning against a beam on the front porch. "They won't hold fire just because you're unarmed," He looked down at a small child before him, "or because you're children. They will _kill_ you." He looked around at the people surrounding him.

"Now, I have a plan," Buzz stated, "If you will follow it."


	27. Chapter 27

The townsfolk had been running around for hours, frantically trying to ready the town. They had stacked up wagons at both ends of the main street, and crates were blocking the alleys between the buildings. Buzz had brought all of the disruptors from his ship- and many other things as well- and passed them out to the men who had chosen to stay and fight- a small number of them had fled to wait out the battle in the mines with their families.

Just after the meeting, Buzz had pulled Jessie and Bo aside.

"Jessie, Bo, I need you to do something for me." He said quietly.

"Anything, Buzz." Jessie replied. Bo nodded.

"You're not going to like it." He replied. "I need you to escort the women and children up to the mines, and I need you to stay there with them, and keep them calm. There's no telling what you're going to hear, or what is going to happen down here."

"No!" Jessie protested, loudly. "I'm not leaving!"

"I'll do it, Buzz." Bo replied. "I don't even know how to fight." She smiled slightly. "My hands are for sewing, not shooting."

Buzz smiled at her gratefully, then he turned back to Jessie as Bo walked away.

"Jessie, please." He said, taking her left hand in his. "I need you to do this for me."

"Bo is more than capable of handling this on her own. You need me here!"

"No!" Buzz replied emphatically. "I need you safe. I can't be constantly worrying about whether or not you're going to get killed!"

"Is that all I am to you?" A hurt look crossed her face. "I'm something for you to worry about?" She began to pull her hand from his, but he tightened his grip.

"Not at all." He replied. He reached in his shirt pocket, (he had since changed out of his suit, preferring to save it as a surprise tactic) and pulled out a ring. "Jessie, tonight was supposed to go very differently." He turned the ring over in his hand, and held it up for her to see. "I had a plan." He smiled bitterly. "I had a bottle of wine and dinner set up, and I was going to ask you then, but We have no time." He met her eyes. "Jessie, if we get through this, will you marry me?"

A tear ran down her cheek. "Buzz, if we get through this, you won't be here."

"That doesn't matter." He whispered. "Please?" He smiled slightly. She nodded, and Buzz slipped the ring on her finger.

He kissed the palm of her hand, and then pulled her close.

"I'll go to the mines." She whispered.

"Thank you, Jessie." Buzz kissed her hair, and squeezed her once.

"Hey Buzz!" Proscuitto called from down the road. "We can't get this contraption to work!"

"Coming!" Buzz called back. He touched Jessie's cheek, then pulled away.


	28. Chapter 28

In all the time that he had been here, Buzz had never seen Andonnie this quiet. Overnight, the bustling main street had become a textbook definition of a ghost town.

From his perch atop Bo's millinery shop, Buzz could see almost every nook and cranny of the main street, as well as down the road that led into town. Jessie had led the women and children up into the mountains about an hour before dawn.

Well, almost all of the women. Dolly had refused to go, and so she was armed with a laser pistol from Buzz's stores, and was currently concealed just inside the door to her saloon. She was waiting for Buzz to give the signal - they all were. Each of the men who chose to stay and fight was concealed somewhere in town, armed with a laser pistol, or a disruptor ray. Buzz himself had re-suited and was relying on the laser in his suit. (He had given Jessie his laser pistol as an added measure of protection).

Buzz scanned the horizon for what felt like the millionth time. But here, something was different. He could see a vast dark shape approaching through the desert haze. Buzz glanced up at the sun, and saw that it was directly overhead. He sighed. _Here we go..._ He let out a low whistle that echoed up and down the road. There was a sharp, high whistle back in response. _They are ready._

_They'd better be,_ Buzz thought to himself, _'cause here comes Emperor Zurg._

He leaped from his position, and landed lightly on the ground below him - the shock absorbers in his suit softening the impact. The army was drawing closer, and they were becoming more distinct. He could even make out the emblem on the face of the shields carried by the front line - a gold "Z" in a red circle.

They stopped just before they reached the outer buildings of the town. Buzz faced them, but neither side moved an inch. Buzz's battle senses were telling him that something was very wrong.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud behind him. He whipped around, and found himself face-to-face with none other than Emperor Zurg himself.

Zurg smiled. "Hello, son, are you ready to come home?"


End file.
